Strawberry Shortcake

xtine's Note:

I created this for my Dad's birthday by combining 3 other recipes. He wanted a soft cake instead of a crumbly biscuit, and I wanted it to have a nice vanilla custard, so this is what I came up with. He loved it! You can make the cake and the custard a day ahead, but do not cut cake until you are ready to serve, as it will dry out.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 4 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
• 2 3/4 cups sugar, divided
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 1 vanilla bean, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 egg yolks
• 6 whole good-looking strawberries
• 1 (7 ounce) can reddi-wip whipped cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Stir together sliced strawberries & 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl. Let stand, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
3. Beat 1 and 1/2 cups sugar and oil at medium speed w/ electric mixer until blended.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
5. Add flour to oil mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at medium speed for 4 minutes, then beat in vanilla extract.
6. Grease a 15 x 10" jellyroll pan & pour batter into pan.
7. Bake @ 350 degrees for 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pan & cool completely on wire rack.
8. Cut cake into 12 rounds w/ a 3" biscuit cutter, and set rounds aside.
9. Heat 1 and 1/2 cups whipping cream and vanilla bean pieces over medium-high heat in a heavy saucepan, stirring often. Bring to a simmer (do not boil), then reduce heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes.
10. Remove from heat, cool in pan until vanilla beans are cool enough to handle. Strain cream and reserve vanilla beans.
11. Return cream to saucepan and squeeze seeds from vanilla beans into it. Stir in remaining 3/4 cup sugar, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves.
12. Beat egg yolks until thick and pale. Gradually stir in 1/4 of hot cream mixture into yolks; add to remaining cream mixture in pan, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat & cool in fridge.
13. Place 1 cake round on each serving plate. Top w/ strawberries & custard. Top w/ second cake round and more strawberries. Top w/ whipped cream and a whole strawberry.

Reviews

[CindiJ]

5 Stars are NOT enough for this recipe! I thought I only liked a biscuit type shortcake but I now stand corrected. This beats any dessert I've ever had anywhere. Recipe is easy to follow and I made a special trip to the store for the buttermilk & SR Flour. It was worth the trip. Make this exactly as written and you won't go wrong. Thank you so much for joining PAC Spring 2008 and this wonderful recipe that I will make again and again!